Subtle
by Moon Prynces
Summary: Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch
1. Part 1 Alone, Together

8-10-10

12:31am

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

**Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**READ ME: **This story is set after "Paying Attention" (Buttercup/Butch) and "On Top" (Blossom/Brick). The age is now 16, as a bit of time has passed since then.

**xoxo**

**Title–Subtle**

**Part 1–Alone, Together**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

"And then there were two," he said as they glanced at the other end of the lunch table.

Blossom was glaring into a book as Brick tried to coax her into giving him one _little_ kiss (yeah right). Butch had just put his arm around Buttercup's shoulders, which she casually shrugged off (they still weren't quite official yet) while watching their older siblings in amusement.

Bubbles turned to look back at Boomer, who sat across the table from her. "Hmm," she hummed and went back to her lunch.

The two were silent for a moment.

He looked down and grinned.

**xoxo**

Bubbles giggled when his lips moved from her own mouth to her jaw and then neck, where a trail went to her shoulder.

"You know," she said, "They probably expect us to get together now."

And he stopped abruptly, looking up at her with his lips hovering over her skin. He quirked a brow when she didn't say anything else.

"And?" he asked, his hands rubbing her sides underneath the shirt.

"Nothing. I just was saying," Bubbles smiled at him from where she was perched on the table.

Boomer snorted and stood up straight. "Yeah, I already have Butch trying to give me pointers on how to pick up a girl."

"_Any _girl?" And this time _she _raised her brow.

He rolled his eyes. "They weren't very subtle about who they hoped I would use these techniques on."

"Techniques, huh? Maybe you should show me them."

He went back to lightly bite on her neck for the joke.

"But Boomer," she started and made him look up in question. "You're not very subtle either."

He grinned. "Likewise, honey. Likewise."

**xoxo**

Bubbles was the youngest of her sisters. When they were little she was naïve and innocent and everyone wanted to protect her the most, fearing what would happen if she ever _broke_.

But Bubbles grew up the same way her sisters did, the way everyone does.

You learn things. You make mistakes. You try to figure out who you are.

She knew that as much as everyone thought they needed to protect her from all the harmful things out there, she needed to protect them from realizing she wasn't that same five year old even more.

She didn't resent her sisters for their over-protectiveness. She didn't feel trapped in the ways they expected her to behave. She _was _an innocent and curious person. She just wasn't as innocent as everyone thought.

**xoxo**

They were fourteen when it happened.

Bubbles was being Bubbles. Looking around with wide eyes, wondering and questioning.

And so she happened to hear some classmates talk about their first dates. And so she listened further when her own friends experienced their first kisses. And so she decided she wanted to know what that felt like.

Why couldn't she? All she needed was a boy. She was determined.

After a few days of examining the prospects (which were boys in her class) she wasn't sure what to do. The thought of kissing a boy she didn't know felt dirty somehow.

So when she looked up at lunch she finally realized what was in front of her.

A boy! A boy she knew very well.

They may have been enemies in the past but things were different now. Her and her sisters were eating lunch with them for goodness' sake!

Bubbles smiled as she confronted the only one she thought would agree. (Because even at that age there were sure signs of her sisters and the other two coming together, just not yet.)

"Boomer, I need your help with something!"

And back then he had been even more naïve than she was.

"What is it?" he asked back blankly, not quite realizing she had him cornered at one end of a deserted hallway.

"Just say yes!" she said excitedly. "It'll be fine! It's nothing bad."

He only peered at her with suspicion.

But she didn't say a thing, only smiled benignly.

"Okay..."

And before he knew it she had thrown her arms around his neck (to help her with the height difference) and pressed her lips to his.

He was so in shock at the sudden move that his eyes remained open before he remembered you were supposed to close your eyes in a kiss. And then he realized...she was kissing him!

Before he could pull away and ask why she had moved back, landed her heels on the floor again (tiptoeing was tricky) and let go of his neck.

"Thanks!" she said happily, and left to examine her feelings about her first kiss.

Boomer stared down the hall.

**xoxo**

But two years had passed and that was nowhere near their last encounter.

So Bubbles wanted to experiment some more. Kissing was fun.

And Boomer liked it too. Well, after the shock wore off and he confronted her about it.

They didn't tell anyone, not even their siblings. They just met up every once in a while under the guise of studying and homework and video games and sports, making sure to not get caught.

So it was two years well spent. They already enjoyed spending time together, so this was just another activity to add to the list.

Not that they ever had sex of _any_ kind, oh no. Bubbles knew when to draw the line and Boomer never even broached the subject because he was only a kid still (even at sixteen).

Though lately they had been meeting up more frequently and always a hair's breadth from being found out.

And it would be so much worse if they were.

Because now that Buttercup and Butch were dating and Blossom wasn't immune to Brick's flirtatious looks (it was only a matter of time before he asked for a real date and not just the making out they did in her room), they all expected Bubbles and Boomer to get together as well.

It was the only expectation Bubbles didn't want to live up to.

She maintained that she didn't actually have feelings for Boomer. They kissed, that's all. And he said basically the same with a bored look. (Of course this discussion was only ever with each other and no one else.)

**xoxo**

**End of Part 1.**

**Date missing.**

1) This story is meant to follow the events of "Paying Attention" and "On Top" but the writing style and story format are drastically different. Luckily it wasn't difficult to include more development of the other two couples in here.

2) I am not quite satisfied with this story. After a while it became too formulaic in its development instead of flowing smoothly along. Maybe you all won't see it that way but I do. I tried too hard to keep with this idea I had at the beginning and I just couldn't let it go.

3) It became so long and not as light-hearted and fun as "Paying Attention" and "On Top" which is what I had been hoping for. Instead it got kind of twisted and long and the way Bubbles and Boomer started out... I needed them to develop more and...it took longer than I liked. The writing just...got away from me. It does happen.

4) Since it became so long I decided to divvy it up into "Parts" (not calling it chapters for some reason). The first two will be posted just a day apart because the first seems to be more introductory and not enough for people to get into it, I think. The third will be posted in a few days to a week.

5) That leads me to this point. I am not actually done with this story yet. I have three "parts" written completely, reread and edited and basically ready to be posted. Unfortunately I still think there needs to be one more part, which I haven't been able to start on yet. So I believe the story will be four parts in total, and if not then it most likely will not be more than five. In fact, the reason I'm finally deciding to post is because I'm hoping it will jump start me into finishing that final chapter because I don't want this story to be left unfinished for longer than it should. Let's hope it works.

Okay, so tell me what you think so far whether it's good or bad, because I already have the obligation to try and finish once I've started. Next chapter will be up in a day or two.

1-5-11

11:58pm


	2. Part 2 It takes a village

No date.

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

**Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Subtle**

**Part 2–It takes a village**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

He glanced around the table with an unsatisfied expression, thinking.

Finally, Brick couldn't take it and looked to his youngest brother with a sly smile.

"So, what's up with you two?" he asked Boomer and Bubbles tactlessly.

Blossom groaned and rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"Oh, what? Like you aren't thinking it," Brick shot back.

Butch grinned. "I was," he unashamedly admitted.

"Me too," Buttercup said, and then took a bite of her burger.

Boomer stared blankly at Brick. "What are you talking about?"

Bubbles smiled innocently (an expression she had perfected), hiding the fact that Boomer (and her) knew _exactly _what they were talking about.

"When are you two gonna just own up to the fact that you're into each other?" Brick asked again, and this time Blossom shook her head with a smile.

"Well, that was..." Bubbles turned to Boomer, blinking exaggeratedly, "Subtle."

Boomer smirked behind his hand while trying to compose himself. "Why do you guys think Bubbles and I are 'into each other'?" He turned to the only other blonde at the lunch table. "We're nothing but friends."

"_Really good_ friends, if you ask me," Butch responded nonchalantly.

"I think you guys are just putting too much emphasis on me and Boomer because you guys happened to get together," Bubbles interrupted, trying to debate the case.

Blossom looked up thoughtfully. "But you know, it is strange... I mean, neither of you dates. And you're both always seen hanging out with each other. Can you blame us for thinking there's something up with you two?"

"I don't need a relationship," Boomer protested quickly. "What's the point in all that anyway? It just seems like a whole lot of drama, and that's even _before_ the predictable heartbreak."

"Wait a minute," Buttercup spoke after harshly swallowing a mouthful of her meal. "You don't think they're worth something?"

The table was quiet for a minute, because this statement somehow meant more coming from Buttercup, whom everyone thought would agree with Boomer's stance on the topic.

"No," Boomer finally decided.

Brick shook his head. "You've never even been in a relationship so how can you think that already?"

Boomer shrugged and glanced at Bubbles, looking for back-up. She smiled but didn't say anything.

"I've got good enough friends as it is," Boomer said again. "And at least I know they'll be around longer. Romantic relationships are so easy to slip away from you. And then you're left with a big empty space where that person used to be," he shrugged.

"But don't you get kinda lonely?" Blossom asked, and for a moment it was quiet again.

Before Brick and Butch burst into laughter and Buttercup stifled a chuckle, causing Blossom to frown deeply at her mistake.

"You know what I mean." She rolled her eyes before mumbling, "So immature." Blossom tried to continue as the sounds died down. "What if you want someone closer than just a friend one day? Friends are great, and maybe you're right about romance. But _every_ relationship creates a space in your life and _every_ one of those people can leave and take it with them."

Brick was nodding along to his almost-not-quite-yet girlfriend.

"Maybe I don't need a girlfriend like you guys think. Maybe I could be fine with just..." And here he unconsciously met Bubbles' eyes. "With something like friends with benefits. No strings and no real commitment."

But as soon as he'd spoken the term most of them were overcome with troubled expressions.

"That's not the same...not even close," Brick said slowly.

Boomer rolled his eyes. "That's the point."

"No strings and no commitments means you get a lot less of all the good things," Butch said.

Bubbles looked surprised that even Butch, the supposed ladies man (before being drawn to confessing his feelings to Buttercup during that bet), would disagree here.

"Like what?" she asked suddenly, causing everyone to look at her. Bubbles stared back. "What are 'all the good things'?" she questioned Butch.

Some glances were thrown his way, waiting for his response.

Butch just swept his eyes over Buttercup briefly before they landed on the food in front of him. He smiled slowly before shaking his head as one hand lifted up a forkful of something.

No one could see the other hand, hidden by the table, was resting on the bench with another in its grasp.

Everyone was left wondering what he meant.

**xoxo**

Boomer strolled into the room with his books in hand and a pen behind an ear. Heading to his usual seat by the wall and as close to the back of the room as he could get, he spotted Butch and Buttercup sitting next to each other for a change.

Sure they had classes together and were teetering very close to 'couple' status but she never felt the need to flaunt it for the whole school to know about. This included her shrugging off Butch's attempts to distract her in the classes they shared.

Now though (before the teacher could arrive), Boomer watched from his seat as she leaned close to say something to him. Butch was staring down at something on the table in front of him.

Boomer sat up straight and strained his neck to get a look at the paper and spotted a 54, red and circled, at the top of the page.

So his brother was a little upset over a test from another class – that was it. Boomer shrugged it off and looked away from the two. No one else seemed to take notice of them.

The teacher was still absent and Boomer found his eyes slowly moving across the room before casually landing on the two again.

He tried to stare past them and at the board, uninterestedly. But it didn't block out what was still in his vision, even if he couldn't hear them over the chattering of their classmates.

Buttercup was still trying to say something to him but Butch hadn't looked up from the failed test or even spoken a word (something very surprising indeed). His mouth was set in a pressed line while his eyes stared down at the paper.

Her chair was out in the aisle by now, trying to get close enough so she could speak quietly. Her hand unconsciously landed on his shoulder and stayed there while she spoke.

Butch's lips twisted down into a frown – not the response she had been hoping for.

Finally Buttercup sighed, and Boomer thought maybe she had given up on him. He was about to glance away from them, maybe open his notebook and wait for that damn teacher to show up already.

But before he did he saw the quick movements as Buttercup said one more thing, and then pressed a quick kiss on Butch's cheek with her other hand landing on his hands (which were already on the table).

It was enough to make Butch blink in surprise.

Boomer couldn't look away, also shocked at the scene (and maybe feeling a little awkward that he had witnessed something intimate between the two). He watched as Butch slowly turned his hand upward so Buttercup's could fit neatly into it.

It seemed like they had blocked out the rest of the world.

Buttercup leaned her forehead into Butch's temple as he smiled and turned the test over to hide the discouraging red lines.

By the time the teacher walked in (ten minutes late and flustered) Buttercup and Butch had pulled apart and were both at their own desks, seeming as if nothing amazing had just transpired.

But Boomer knew differently now.

**xoxo**

"Blossom I–" Bubbles stopped short as she opened her sister's bedroom door.

She stood and stared at the scene with her hand still on the knob.

Brick made a 'shh' motion with his finger and gave a small smile with a 'what can ya do?' face. Then he turned to look at _her_.

They were both on the bed, though for once there was nothing going on. Brick was lying on his back, with one hand behind his head and the other around his (now official) girlfriend.

Blossom lay curled up into his side, asleep.

It was obvious from the books scattered on the bed and floor that she had worn herself out studying. She had been getting increasingly stressed over that chemistry test.

Bubbles stared in slight awe at how comfortable he looked, how _she_ looked.

Blossom was sound asleep in someone's arms!

"Sorry," Bubbles finally whispered and closed the door quietly behind her. Brick didn't look up from watching Blossom sleep.

Bubbles stood in the hall, leaning against Blossom's door, thinking.

Thinking that if it had been her and Boomer they would have jumped apart and pretended nothing had happened. Because they didn't see each other that way. And if anyone saw them together they would automatically assume there were serious feelings involved and commitment and all that stuff Bubbles didn't really care for.

Still, she wondered what that "closer than friends" feeling Blossom had mentioned before was exactly. Was it better than what she and Boomer already had? Was it worth having a big, empty space when that person left?

**xoxo**

He was beyond pissed. He didn't bother saying anything to his teammates while stomping away, covered in sweat and pulling off his jersey.

Boomer glared, gritted his teeth, and all because of his own error which he felt _had_ to be the reason they'd lost the game.

He was kind of a sports freak. He was the only one of his brothers who seemed to care about team activities, and even though he sometimes gained more of a workout from having to hold back his powers Boomer loved every second.

Except the losing. That always sucked.

In a moment of frustration, just _ten minutes_ before the end of the game, he had unconsciously let go of his control and sent the ball flying so fast it went into the net...and then yards away into someone's car.

By then even the opposing team knew the special rules when it came to Boomer and his powers. He couldn't even manage an apology, just turned to slowly (and angrily) make his way to the empty space on the bench.

Where he remained until the end when his team was officially announced The Losers.

Now, Boomer didn't care where he went, completely dismissing everyone who tried to say something and not bothering to head to the locker room to wash away his feelings under a hot shower.

"Hey, is the game over already? I was waiting for you to–"

To walk home together. At least that's what she would have said if Boomer hadn't grabbed her hand and pulled her further along to a more secluded side of the gym building.

Bubbles kept quiet, not commenting on the stormy expression and letting him tug her along.

They stopped and she turned to him with a brow raised – about to ask if he was okay, and maybe even to apologize for not showing up to watch him at all (though he knew she didn't quite appreciate the game the way he did).

Boomer's glare lasted less than a second before he prevented her from verbalizing her thoughts.

He quickly leaned his face down to hers as his hands moved to her shoulders to pin her to the wall of the building in a tight, would-be-painful grip.

Bubbles didn't react at first as she felt his lips cover her own. She was still trying to figure out what was going on.

But Boomer was being so insistent with the way his lips moved. She could still feel the heat radiating off his body from the game. He was so worked up, so demanding. So...upset.

She gave in for a moment and kissed him back, giving him what he wanted. She didn't smile in the kiss or pull away to giggle (not that she could anyway, her head was against the wall) or try to pull him closer.

His hands stayed on her shoulders for the next few minutes until he finally pulled away to rest his forehead on hers, breathing heavily and looking down.

"Sorry," Boomer whispered. "I just–" He stopped short, not ready with a fitting explanation.

"Lost control," Bubbles supplied.

He glanced up in surprise, but her eyes were downcast as well. Boomer smiled to himself and his hands moved to the sides of her face as he kissed her forehead briefly.

"We all have bad days," she said again, and then she looked at him.

Boomer nodded.

After all, Bubbles knew him better than most. She was his best friend. Even before the lines of platonic friendship were erased. Even after.

So why did they need to change it? (According to his brothers and her sisters anyway.)

Why? Because out in the light, in front of his teammates, it wasn't real. In front of everyone she could only be a friend comforting him. Not a…they didn't even have a word to describe what they were to each other!

Nothing definite anyway. One moment they were friends sharing notes and the other they were, well, _involved_ – with the easy way he pulled her closer than friends should.

Boomer pulled away from her, hands sliding away easily and leaving no trace he had ever been so close.

Somehow this wasn't the same as what he had seen just the other day. There was a difference between Buttercup and Butch being able to block out the rest of the world while in each other's company and...and just hiding their relationship from the world. Which was what him and Bubbles did.

**xoxo**

She bounced into the room in a pair of shorts and a random t-shirt.

After a look around the space, Bubbles walked over to the dumbbells, looking for the right number carefully.

The only other occupant glanced up from where he was sitting and guzzling a water bottle, covered in a light layer of sweat that was slowly evaporating.

"You're not going to stay in shape just staring me down, you know," she commented after experimentally picking up a fifty pound and pumping her arm a few times.

Boomer didn't respond and still stared, breathing hard from his workout and trying to recover.

"I didn't know you were in here," Bubbles said again, putting back the dumbbell and not turning around.

Here he snorted and stood up slowly. "What're you doing in here anyway?" he finally asked.

It was after four in the afternoon on a Thursday – arguably the least busy day for after-school activities. It would also explain why the weight room was empty except for Bubbles and Boomer.

Bubbles turned to him. "Wanna spot me?" she grinned and headed over to a bench.

Boomer rolled his eyes. "Yeah, cuz you really need it."

She didn't respond while adjusting the weights on the barbell. He dutifully took his place and waited for her to lie down.

Bubbles didn't need any help at all. She could do this in her sleep and Boomer rolled his eyes again when she shot him a grin.

When she tried to pull the bar back towards her (with the help of gravity) for the fifth time, something stopped her entirely and she looked to Boomer inquisitively.

He leaned over her while slowly placing the equipment in its stationary position and waited until she let go of the bar before he did the same.

"Bubbles," Boomer stated seriously as she sat up and looked over her shoulder at him.

She didn't say anything. They held their gazes.

There was a twitch across his face and suddenly he was grinning and shaking his head. "You never miss an opportunity, do you?" Boomer asked.

Bubbles looked away quickly so he wouldn't see her smile. "I don't know _what_ you're talking about." And she managed to sound a little offended, though only for show.

He didn't say anything, only moved to sit on the bench next to her after she moved one leg back over, turning to examine the rest of the room. Boomer turned his head to stare at her until she turned as well, to stare back.

He smiled a moment before resting a hand on her cheek and leaning forward slowly to close that small space between them.

It was exactly what she had been hoping for (he had been right): another opportunity. It wasn't surprising. She could be very random about their relationship – picking times and places that weren't always appropriate, but definitely interesting. Almost like she wanted someone to find them, if only to see what reactions people would have.

Bubbles leaned in as he kissed her, his mouth moving slowly and carefully, something she wasn't used to. Their movements were usually more fast-paced and sometimes even rushed. Probably because there were always time limits before such interaction would cease and they had to step back out in front of everyone, in front of their own families.

She sighed into his mouth and her eyes rolled upward at the unfamiliar feelings this kiss brought. It was like he was trying to make up for something and tell her something all at once. Make her feel–

Boomer pulled away and stared with a smile as Bubbles blinked her eyes open, confused and a little disoriented. She slowly focused on him with her brows knitted together and opened her mouth.

"I'm supposed to be home in twenty minutes," he said before she could ask, and then got up.

"But–" Bubbles said, still trying to keep up.

Boomer shrugged. "I'm supposed to cook tonight. I'd invite you over but..."

But there was nothing they could do because his brothers would be around. She knew.

Bubbles just nodded and watched as he said his goodbye before leaving her alone in the room.

She sat there a few more minutes, trying to figure out what just happened. What it was his lips had been trying to tell her. What she was feeling...

Oh yeah, she knew the last one.

Disappointed.

**xoxo**

**End Part 2.**

No date for chapter completion.

1) In case you didn't realize (because there weren't that many hints, I think), Boomer's sport was soccer.

2) This chapter's going up now because I'm not sure I'll get a chance tomorrow.

3) Still haven't begun Part 4 yet, but I still have time. Just...not a whole lot of inspiration. Hopefully I'll be motivated to finish this story soon.

4) And lastly, my feelings on this chapter, part, whatever? Well I'll spare us all that and just say it felt too forced to me. What do you think?

To **Bubblycutie**, thanks for the review. At least I know someone's reading. =]

Thanks for reading and tell me what you think. Next Part will be up in a few days.

1-9-11

1:33am


	3. Part 3 Potentially:

No date.

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

**Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Subtle**

**Part 3–Potentially: possibly but not yet actually**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

It wasn't like the conversation at lunch that day had suddenly changed their perspective on their relationship and romance. Bubbles and Boomer were just...noticing some things, making comparisons, and questioning (but still receiving no answers).

Maybe if Brick hadn't ungracefully brought up the topic the two blondes wouldn't have opened their eyes to certain, _subtle_, events that took place every day.

The innocent hug when Butch would sneak up behind Buttercup. And even though Boomer thought she would push him away and get angry, she only tensed up a moment before sighing in defeat.

The way Blossom tried to tease Brick by asking to give a kiss, and when he happily agreed she landed her lips on his cheek instead. He still grinned, even if a little disappointed, because it was still a kiss from Blossom, Bubbles realized.

But it didn't stop the two from seeing each other in that 'friends with benefits' kind of way Boomer had tried to describe them as, both trying to ignore whatever thoughts or feelings popped up (results of the discussion from days earlier).

Bubbles laid on his bed with her head hanging upside down off the side, a book held in front of her face.

"It might help if the book were upside down too," Boomer commented from where he sat cross-legged on the floor nearby.

She promptly sighed and dropped the book to the floor. "I don't think I can focus."

Boomer ignored her pointedly by bringing his own book up to his face.

"Hey," Bubbles said quietly, sitting up and turning to face him. "Have you noticed anything...weird lately?" she asked.

He paused in his reading and glanced at her over the top of the book. "Like what?"

Her brows came together and she made this pinched expression. "I don't know, maybe I'm just thinking too much," she waved it off.

Boomer stared a moment before slowly putting down the book. "You know I was wondering some things too," he stated plainly. "I mean, remember when we were at lunch that day and Brick tried to confront us about our 'relationship status'?" he recalled.

Though in truth it wasn't an event that either of them could easily forget. Bubbles just nodded as if she hadn't been thinking about that day.

"Well, I know I said I didn't want a relationship like they expect, but you didn't say anything about it."

Bubbles blinked in surprise. "Well, I thought it was obvious. I agree with you."

"So you don't want what your sisters want? A real relationship, something more than just...this." And he made some vague gesture that was supposed to encompass whatever it was they had.

She was silent and he didn't really wait for a response.

"Because I think–"

"We don't like each other," Bubbles interrupted him with a thought. "I mean, we don't, right? We're nothing but friends."

Boomer stared.

It was then that the door flung open to reveal a mischievous grin on the face of one of his brothers.

"Why, look what we have here," Butch commented, his arm still outstretched against the door he had pushed open.

Boomer rolled his eyes away while Bubbles looked at Butch curiously.

"I hope there isn't anything _indecent_ going on in here," Butch said as he took two steps inside.

"The only thing indecent in here is _you_," Boomer mumbled as Bubbles was already giggling at the two.

"So then I _was_ interrupting something!" Butch proclaimed with wide eyes. He turned to Bubbles. "Really sorry about that. Don't worry, I'm going out to see Buttercup and Brick is getting dinner. You'll have the house to yourselves," he grinned.

Boomer rubbed a hand down his face. "Ugh, shut up already."

Bubbles was still laughing. "Good. Cuz you know Boomer can get pretty rowdy."

There was a pause before Butch and her burst into laughter while Boomer frowned, slightly embarrassed for no real reason.

"That's a good one," Butch was saying. "Okay, well I'm out." Then he looked to them, pointing to both back and forth. "And be safe, kids!"

The two sat there, Bubbles still chuckling, as Butch left and closed the front door loudly.

Boomer sighed.

They didn't go back to the earlier topic, and so Bubbles never asked him what he was going to say next. Which was a good thing.

Because he didn't know. He wasn't sure what he would have said. But Boomer was pretty sure they weren't just _friends_ anymore.

And Bubbles...well maybe she didn't bring it up because she wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he would say. That yes, they were just friends.

**xoxo**

"Hey, sorry I made you wait," Blossom said as she came jogging up to the car. "I won't need a ride home, so it's okay."

Bubbles shrugged. She was the only one of her sisters who had cared to get a car; it was more soothing than flying, in her opinion. "No problem. I was only standing here for _fifteen minutes_," she replied before looking at her older sister suspiciously. "What exactly were you doing anyway? Why couldn't you have come out and told me sooner?"

At which point Blossom looked a bit taken-aback at the interrogation and changed color.

"Uh huh." Bubbles said knowingly.

"What?" Blossom asked nervously, a hand moving up to her face, then over her lips, hair and earrings, all the tell-tale signs of an impromptu make-out session with her new boyfriend. But she was better than Bubbles thought; she didn't even look flustered until this point.

It was at that moment that Bubbles caught sight of Boomer across the parking lot, still in front of the school, as he was chatting with some of his teammates. She stared quietly, forgetting about Blossom's alarmed expression at being caught _red_-handed.

Of course, Blossom was Blossom, and quick to recover from her obvious teenage distress. She shook her head and remembered there hadn't been any visible signs of _anything_ so she had given herself away with her own behavior.

But when she looked up, she saw her younger sister's blank gaze and moved next to the blonde to see what she saw. After spotting another blonde, Blossom watched him a moment before turning her eyes back to the one next to her.

Her brows furrowed at the seemingly oblivious nature in which Bubbles stared him down.

"Boomer."

Bubbles blinked out of her daze at the name being spoken aloud. She turned to her sister mechanically. "Uh yeah, it's Boomer."

Blossom quirked a brow. "Anything you wanna tell me?"

"I'm not sure," Bubbles found herself admitting.

"So..." Blossom said slowly, trying to ease into the topic. "Do you...like him?" she asked in a low voice. But it somehow seemed profound.

Which meant Bubbles' answer would be as well.

But she just shook her head, letting go of whatever had just washed over her at seeing him. "I don't know. I don't know...how that's even possible."

Blossom leaned back against the side of the car and watched carefully. "What do you mean?"

"Things are kind of...muddled up. And it's mostly my own fault. I'm not sure how I could even separate those kinds of feelings from whatever it is I've felt for him these past two years."

The redhead nodded along, assuming the reference was about their friendship. She pondered something before responding.

"I guess figuring out those feelings is kind of...complicated. Sometimes it's hard to tell." Then Blossom smiled to herself. "But sometimes it's easy. You can tell when you look at him that it definitely feels different than looking at anyone else."

At this Bubbles turned back to look at Boomer, but he was gone.

**xoxo**

It was at lunch, with all six teenagers decompressing from schoolwork and life in general, that another profound event occurred.

"Didn't you have that make-up test?" Buttercup asked suddenly, five minutes into the period.

Butch's head shot up from eating her french fries. Then he paled as his eyes widened. "Shit!" he hissed, gathering his books while standing up abruptly.

The other four at the table watched, not quite fascinated but at least it was something. Blossom was just lifting another spoonful of yogurt to her mouth while Brick glanced up from his video game. Bubbles smiled mildly, not minding the distraction from the homework she was trying to do as Boomer looked up from tying a shoelace, the shoe propped up on the bench since he was at the end of the table.

But at that moment something happened, causing all four to blink and freeze in shock.

"Don't miss me too much," Butch said with a grin, though he knew he would have to sprint down the halls because the teacher was probably annoyed.

Buttercup rolled her eyes. "I'll try."

And he leaned down, she turned her face up and they shared a quick kiss before he left and she was back to eating her lunch.

Everyone else was staring at her, paused in their activities. Blossom couldn't lift the spoon any higher and Boomer hadn't completed the bow on the shoelace. Brick couldn't register he was losing his game, even with the random noises it was making to indicate his demise. Bubbles simply stared at her sister.

Buttercup didn't notice them at first, but Brick's videogame brought her gaze to their reactions.

"What?" she asked slowly, carefully.

No one could verbalize exactly what it was, so none tried.

Predictably it was Brick's loud mouth that opened first.

"So you're not a nun?" he asked, his expression unchanged.

Blossom's mouth fell open and she took his hat to hit him.

Buttercup just rolled her eyes. "Never was, Brick." Then she grinned, which meant trouble. "And you should stick to worrying about Blossom."

He waved a hand, coming down from his shock. "No need."

And Buttercup's eyes went to her older sister.

"You didn't even get that far," Blossom bit out angrily, turning away from the two.

In the midst of joking laughter and pretend anger between the three, Bubbles and Boomer had slowly recovered. They didn't try to join the conversation but listened, adding their own chuckles and smiles at the right moments.

Boomer turned to look directly across the table, where Bubbles was consciously looking at the three, and not sparing him even a glance.

It frustrated him more than he wanted to show, but then he spotted something on the table. Something that would help him – or it could anyway. It had the potential.

Was there a wrong way to do this?

Boomer tried not to shrink away from the action, and slowly brought his hand on the table...and rested it lightly on Bubbles' own hand.

He felt her jolt in surprise but she still didn't turn to him. And even though he was afraid of someone looking over and questioning them, he didn't pull away.

But after a few moments she pulled back and resumed her homework, looking down onto the page casually, almost seeming to forget the moment altogether.

Still, it wasn't a complete failure. Boomer realized something as he tuned back into the conversation.

Her hand _could_ fit neatly into his. If she just let him.

**xoxo**

Bubbles was sure she knew how Boomer felt. His gesture that day at lunch meant more than what anyone else could see. But none of it mattered if she couldn't tell how _she _felt, still unsure if she could ever feel that way about him.

It was okay though.

It helped that she had distanced herself from everyone to try and think clearly (which also led to more free time since she wasn't hanging out alone with Boomer). Even so, it was the much more...subtle things that brought some clarity, things she didn't expect.

Like, she had been sitting in class, taking notes and focusing on the lesson when out of the corner of her eye she spotted the familiar blonde hair.

When she glanced up to see him walking casually down the hall – sans books – this weird thing happened to her. Like her insides had just seized up before falling right through her body and onto the floor.

The feeling didn't last long and, though shaken, she was back to taking notes within a few minutes. It was scary, and new…and uncontrollable.

It was definitely different from the excitable feeling that climbed through her when his hands touched her legs as his lips covered her own. That had more to do with her...libido (yes, she had learned a thing or two over the years).

This had more to do with her– well something else entirely.

And then there was one that she was familiar with. Like when she was hanging out with him, along with their siblings, and he had to leave for soccer practice.

Bubbles found herself about to open her mouth and suggest he just blow it off and stay. But then she'd realize and remain quiet.

But she shrugged off that feeling. She just didn't want him to leave because she enjoyed his company, even in a group setting. It wasn't anything new, because they were friends after all.

She missed him. She missed talking to him _and_ kissing him. Was that so hard to believe?

Still, that didn't make things clear enough. Or maybe she was more dense than she realized…

"Hey, pass me that–" Anna stopped short as Bubbles picked up the scissors she had been pointing to and handed them over. She took them and went on with her task. "So what's up Bubbles?" she asked, not looking up.

Bubbles shrugged before realizing her friend didn't see the action. "Nothing…but don't you think Mr. Jameson is being ridiculous?" she said in a low voice, leaning closer. "We haven't done anything relating to art at all since the school year started."

Anna looked up. "I'm okay with that. Not really artistically inclined, unlike _some_ people." She smiled and mockingly rolled her eyes.

The blonde fixed a flat look. "We have been doing favors for the student council for the past two months."

"I think that skiing trip over the summer froze over certain parts of his brain." Then the two laughed. "It's-it's almost time to leave anyway," she said, recovering from her chuckles.

"Well I refuse to cut up tickets for yet another event to raise money for something or other," Bubbles said and crossed her arms.

"How's it going over here?" someone asked, popping up unexpectedly by the table the girls stood at.

"Great Mr. Jameson," Bubbles said with wide eyes, grabbing a stack and giving herself a paper cut in the process.

The teacher just smiled thoughtlessly before continuing on his path through the room.

"Oh yeah, you tell him," Anna said with a grin.

Bubbles was too busy frowning at the paper cut after having dropped the stack. "Don't worry, I will," she promised, examining her hand. "And by next week you'll be sketching my portrait while I..."

She looked up while finishing her retort but stopped short when she spotted someone she knew across the room.

He was standing with a group of guys – a few friends that happened to be in her art class. It caused her to glance at the clock and note there were still five minutes left in the period, so Bubbles had to wonder how he got out of class early.

She mentally shrugged and was just about to turn her eyes back to the table when he glanced up and saw her.

So they both stood there (with a roomful of other students and one unstable teacher between them) and stared at each other.

He was smiling at first, having only turned away in the midst of conversation and accidentally saw her. And it stayed that way for the first ten seconds or so, just a nonchalant smile that didn't mean anything.

But just as Bubbles felt herself about to smile back, after having watched him blankly like an idiot, his expression faded away to something else.

She could see his friends still laughing over something, not paying attention to him gazing at her. And her friend was suddenly talking about the student council, but she wasn't really listening either.

Boomer watched her coolly, no friendly smile or mischievous grin or sinful smirk. The only thing she saw was his eyebrows rose just a little. Maybe he was waiting for something to come from her?

Bubbles couldn't say or do anything though, not with the way a breath stopped in her throat at his eyes.

She kept staring back, and felt her face go from a blank examination to the surprised, deer-caught-in-headlights look before she could tone it down to slight confusion.

Whatever it was, it was unhealthy; she decided as she looked back at the table and released that breath. She tuned in to hear her friend cursing.

"Paper cut?" Bubbles asked with no sympathy.

Anna glared, and then sighed. "One more minute and we're out of here. I'm gonna take these over to Mr. Jameson, but I'll see you later," she said while grabbing her books and then carefully stacking the cut up piles of paper on top.

Bubbles turned and watched as she left, standing idly by the table alone now.

When she shifted her gaze, Boomer was just two steps in front of her and coming closer.

He was smiling as he jokingly said, "You look like you want something from me."

**xoxo**

**End Part 3.**

No date for chapter completion.

1) I said I would update in a few days and I carefully counted (and painstakingly waited) to do so.

2) The bad news is I still haven't started Part 4 yet. Coupled with the fact that I've started playing Fable 2 just a few hours ago... Well I'll try to manage my time and get writing done. I really, really love writing. Maybe I should hold off on the video game playing to get some more of that done, hm?

3) It's nice that I've received a positive response for this story. The only downside is that after each review, especially when you guys seemed so interested in the story I got a little self-conscious. Kind of made me worry about disappointing you all, just because I'm still not sure this is anywhere near my best work. But thank you all for the reviews. Even if I do disappoint you a little I'm hoping you'll let me know so I can do better in the future.

4) And lastly, I won't try and chronicle my struggles with writing this story exactly but...I started this in August. I wrote one version that I didn't like. Then I took that and made a second version, which became longer and turned into this multi-chaptered story. But even then I didn't like it enough so I scrapped everything and started from the ground up with a third version that's completely different from the first two. After leaving them alone for a few months and coming back I found I liked the second one best and went with it and here we are. Still, the third version was so likable that I decided to finish it, edit a few things and post it later on. After I finish this story I plan on doing that. Hopefully you'll check it out.

I think I'm done talking for now. Thanks for reading and tell me what you think!

1-14-11

4:57am


	4. Part 4 Hate that I like you

1-23-11

3:20am

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

**Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Subtle**

**Part 4–I hate that I like you**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

Bubbles stared at him a moment, caught off guard at the quick approach and even further at the words he'd said.

"I, uh..." And this response was followed by some croaking sound from the back of her throat as she struggled with something to say, all the while her mouth moved from just parted to fully open and her expression ran from confused to a blank stare.

Boomer gave a roguish smirk while saying, "I have that effect on people."

She found herself shaking her head, both to wake up from her trance and at his cocky attitude. "Shut up," she told him.

Still, she flinched a bit when she glanced back to meet his confident gaze. It was quick, but still noticeable. He raised a brow but didn't comment.

"So, you have plans right now?" Boomer questioned lightly. "I'm craving a taco for some reason."

Bubbles immediately imagined him eating.

Except...it kind of stirred up some impure thoughts. Nothing rated R, mostly just thoughts that ran alongside, 'Oh my god, he's hot' – as if she'd just noticed.

"I can't," she spit out with wide eyes.

And then she didn't even have the brain cells to come up with an excuse within an amount of time that displayed complete casualness.

Boomer's mouth twisted to the side as he looked around nonchalantly, trying not to make this conversation any more awkward. "Okay, well I'll see you later."

**xoxo**

"What happen? You two have a fight or something?"

Bubbles rolled her eyes. "Don't you have a girlfriend to bother?"

Brick grinned from where he lay on her bed, hands behind his head. "Yeah. But she kicked me out so she could get ready. I told her it wouldn't matter if I just stayed."

The blonde smiled to herself, though still staring at her computer screen.

"And after she turned red I said, 'well I could take off my clothes if it'll make you feel better'," he continued with some chuckles.

"So why don't you go and bug Buttercup?" she questioned, finally turning to face her visitor.

He sat up abruptly. "Are you crazy? She'd probably ask me to help her practice her karate moves or something." Then he added under his breath, "Like she needs it."

Bubbles' laughter was cut short as he spoke again.

"So yeah. You haven't been by to see Boomer in ages," Brick continued. "If I remember correctly, you come by like once a week at least."

"Nothing happened," she responded and swung her chair back to the desk again, hoping to avoid any further comment on her complicated relationship with his brother.

She could feel Brick staring into the side of her head blankly. He kept it up until she sighed and turned back to him.

"Can I help you?" Bubbles asked tiredly.

"Yeah, so what'd he do?"

"Is he still wearing those dark wash jeans?"

Brick's confusion was obvious. "The ones he wore at school today? Uh...I guess so."

"Well there ya go. I don't like those pants." She turned to her computer.

There was a minute of silence as this information was processed. Because it had been such a random question and even stranger response, it took Brick a little longer just to get the dots lined up.

Finally he stood while saying, "You girls are so weird." And then he left to knock on Blossom's door so they could leave before the Professor came back to give him eerily cheerful smiles.

Bubbles sighed again and hung her head, no longer able to concentrate on the article she had been reading.

Wasn't a complete lie, was all she thought.

She really did take issue with Boomer's clothes at the moment in time. Seriously, why did he like dark wash jeans? And what was with all the t-shirts that showed his arms? Add the fact that whenever he glanced at her it seemed he was raising his brows, in what she thought was suggestion but actually just curiosity and slight confusion.

What she really didn't want to admit was that she was just becoming more attracted to him. If she paid attention instead of fighting it, she'd realize it wasn't just his physical appearance that was causing ripples.

Whenever he happened to mention something that only a friend or family member would know about her, it proved how well acquainted they were. Whenever he agreed with something she thought or happened to make suggestions that she would automatically like, it proved how compatible they were.

Though, now when these situations came about Bubbles frowned and unintentionally disagreed or chose the opposite reaction.

And _apparently_ (judging from Brick's pathetic interrogation), it was becoming very transparent to other people (just maybe not her).

Well...at least she was still talking to him...a little.

**xoxo**

"Hey, I have that new video game, 'Dance It Out'," he said to her as they waited for the teacher to show up. Why couldn't these teachers stay put in their assigned classrooms anyway?

Bubbles let her eyes wander to her right, head still in her palm with a lazy expression on her face. "Oh. Cool," she said thoughtlessly before actually considering his words. "Wait. Why don't you _dance_ instead of playing a game about it?" she asked while lifting her head up and giving a look.

"Because," Boomer started seriously, "The game gives me _points_." And he made the 'duh' face.

She waited.

"Makes me feel like I've accomplished something!" he tried again.

She rolled her eyes, fighting a smile at her next words. "Yeah, that is if you can dance at all."

"Hey, hey. Don't be mean here. If you don't think I can, why don't I prove it? Come by today and we'll see who's better, in fact," he said challengingly, looking confident in his 'skills'.

See, this could have been a normal, everyday situation. But with the way things were going, Bubbles was suddenly less inclined to spend any more time with Boomer than necessary.

Her hesitance showed on her face. "Um..."

Boomer just shrugged before she could decline properly. "Too bad. I would've whooped your ass," he grinned.

The most unsettling part of this was that Bubbles could only think of the living room where his game system was set up and all the hours they'd logged – not playing video games – but making out on the couch there.

She exhaled loudly and dropped her head harshly on the desk while the teacher chose that moment to prance into the room.

Boomer had already turned to the front of the room and was opening his notebook.

**xoxo**

"Hey..." he started upon walking into his own house to find a visitor sitting on the couch with her arms folded. "What are you doing here?" Boomer asked while dropping his bookbag near the doorway and coming closer.

She sighed, one leg crossed over the other (bouncing impatiently) and arms folded. "Waiting."

"For?" he said while taking a seat on the adjacent sofa.

"Your brother's sweaty from practice and wouldn't take a shower at school." Buttercup rolled her eyes, big time. "I think he was just hoping I would join him when we got here. Which is probably why he's taking his sweet ass time."

Boomer was grinning at the accurate representation of Butch. "I'll see if I can speed things along."

And he got up to head for the bathroom where he knocked 'timidly'.

"Come in!" a sing-song voice said loudly.

Boomer slowly pushed open the unlocked door (cocky bastard) and crept his way inside while his brother remained behind the curtain, unaware. Then he waited with an ambiguous pause, shaking his head with the same grin on his face. He even shuffled his way to the laundry hamper, opening it and closing it noticeably.

At the moment where such suspense and anticipation had built up that Butch was about to speak again, Boomer laughed outright and spoke instead.

"Your girlfriend's looking pissed. You might wanna hurry before she leaves."

"Damnit," Butch said while poking his head around the side of the curtain. He was frowning.

Boomer rolled his eyes. "You actually think she'd join you?"

"Worth a shot."

"Yeah... Well I'm gonna go see if she's still out there." And then the blonde left for the living room where Buttercup was now flipping channels. "How come you aren't waiting in his room?" he questioned.

"Because then we'd never leave. And I'm hungry for a grilled cheese from the diner," Buttercup responded without looking away from the television. "So what's up with you?" she asked apathetically while he took his previous seat.

Boomer shrugged and turned to the television as well.

"Are you and Bubbles not talking or something?" she questioned, and this time when he glanced over she was looking at him directly. "Cuz she isn't really going out as often as before and, I dunno, someone brought it up so I noticed."

He stared back blankly. "There's nothing going on."

And that was the truth. In many ways, in fact.

_Nothing_ was going on these days.

He rarely saw Bubbles outside of school lately and from what he could tell she just spent her free time at home, doing he-didn't-even-know-what. There was also the abrupt, sketchy behavior as of late. Sometimes it seemed like she just really didn't want to be around him. And to his knowledge, he hadn't done anything wrong recently.

But he kind of shrugged it off. Because if he tried to suffocate her with concern, and even just _friendship_, she would probably be more repelled by the fact that he liked her.

Then again, he had never actually made that admission with words (spoken or written) so he could only assume she still remembered him reaching out for her and then her pulling away. Lord knows, he did.

He realized Buttercup was watching him skeptically, though not with the threatening, protective older sibling gaze. So he turned his eyes back to the TV as he repeated casually, "Nothing's going on." But then added, "That I know of."

**xoxo**

It was another lazy Friday afternoon. School had ended two hours ago and Bubbles was rolling around restlessly on her bed.

Someone knocked on her open bedroom door to gain her attention and she opened her eyes to glance over.

"Hey," Blossom started. "The Professor's down in the lab. Working, as usual." Here she rolled her eyes, but also Buttercup walked up behind her sister and rested her chin on the redhead's shoulder. "I'm going out with Brick and apparently Buttercup's–"

"Going to a monster truck show with Butch," she said happily.

"So yeah. I guess we'll both be home late. You can just get dinner for yourself and the Professor. If he'll spare the time to eat anything," Blossom continued.

"Kay," Bubbles responded, not lifting her head up from the pillow.

Then her sisters turned and headed down the hallway toward the stairs. But she still heard as Buttercup asked, "What do you guys _do_ when you go out anyway?"

She also heard the awkward silence as Blossom remained quiet.

It wasn't even six o'clock yet. Her sisters were leaving early and would be back late. It sounded very...mature of them. Bubbles smiled as she thought about their obvious transformations.

But after looking around her room a moment and not coming up with a satisfying way to spend her evening the smile faded.

**xoxo**

"I thought you were avoiding me," he said while folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe, looking so...good. In his smartass way.

She lifted her brows. "Are you gonna let me in?"

His lips pulled up slowly and he moved out of the way for her to step inside. "I'm guessing you couldn't resist the challenge." And he motioned to the game system in the living room, something already paused on the TV.

"Yeah, what are the chances that you can actually dance?" Bubbles said while shrugging off her jacket and dumping it, with her bag, onto the smaller sofa. She froze for a moment, remembering certain things associated with said piece of furniture.

"Alright, let me just save and exit this," Boomer said while picking up his controller.

She sat down and watched as he popped in a different CD.

"You have to get up," he told her suddenly, causing said girl to stare uncomprehendingly. "You have to actually dance. No half-assing it."

After just two songs, and swinging limbs knocking into each other, Bubbles threw herself on the couch behind them, breathing heavily.

"This is torture. Who invented those dance moves anyway?"

Boomer was panting a little as well, but still standing up and looking at the TV. "Ha," he said between breaths. "Not as easy as you thought, huh?"

She sat up and said smartly, "At least by the end of this you'll know how to dance."

"Excuse me, I just beat your ass with an embarrassing amount of points," he pointed out while going through the game's menus and not paying attention to her at all.

Bubbles openly stared now, hoping the television screen didn't reflect her image for him to see. It was at these moments when one or both of them would suggest they do something besides playing video games or studying or just 'hanging out'.

Perfect opportunity too, seeing as no one else was in the house and they would be alone for a few hours, at least.

"Come on, get up," Boomer commanded lightly. "I picked the next song."

She slowly slid off the couch with an indecisive expression.

Yeah, she knew how to dance, but not with planned moves and perfect execution styles. It was so much easier to just flow with the beat of a song and do whatever felt natural.

Which might have been the thought that struck her like lightning and prevented her from moving at all even as the music started and their characters on screen began demonstrating each step they were to copy.

Boomer had completed ten seconds of the song before he glanced over to see Bubbles just standing there and staring at him with her brows together. Still, he didn't stop as he asked, "Gave up already?"

She smirked. "Yeah right." And even though she was twenty seconds down she somehow jumped back into the gameplay with enough vigor and eagerness – despite her inexperience with the game – to find herself jumping around happily as the screen pronounced her the winner.

Boomer felt himself stand there and stare stupidly at the television.

"I didn't even need to push you over to win!" Bubbles was saying as she jumped around, doing her own victory dance moves. "And believe me, I was thinking about it."

"Have you played this game before?" he turned to her with suspicion and feeling burned at the loss.

"Of course not," Bubbles said while still dancing to the background music the game was playing as her score was still highlighted in larger text than his.

After rolling his eyes, he moved to get rid of the offending display.

"I miss you."

He stopped his actions, just leaning toward the controller on the coffee table, straightened up and turned back to Bubbles. He watched with a guarded expression as she carefully came closer, her smile small and disappearing slowly.

"I miss," she sighed with her hands holding tightly onto the collars of his shirt, "Touching you." Her eyes were already closed as she inched her face closer and just...doing what felt natural.

**xoxo**

When she woke up a while later, her eyes widened as she took in everything. From her disheveled hair to the fact that they were both lying in his bed.

_Naked._

"Shit," she cursed loudly and with emphasis.

His eye popped open as he looked on lazily at first, and then his brows slowly scrunched together.

The blonde girl made sure to keep herself covered as much as possible while pulling on her clothes hastily and jumping out of the bed.

"I really, really _hate_ that I like you," she said vehemently, looking at him with a fierce gaze after getting fully dressed.

Boomer sat up in bed as she left his room. He didn't even flinch as he heard the front door slam loudly in her wake.

He stared down at his hands on the bed sheets, thinking something over.

Finally, after enough contemplation, he decided it was totally okay with him that she had (unintentionally?) just admitted her feelings to him out loud. At least now he knew things weren't one-sided.

...okay, who was he kidding? Finding out the person you like, likes you back? Nothing could stop the smile from spreading wide across his face.

**xoxo**

**End Part 4.**

**No, **it's not the last chapter apparently. God, what the heck is going on with me? Seriously, I thought I could wrap things up and this would be the last chapter, part, whatever! But my characters won't work with me and my head is pretty screwed up as well.

I want a realistic, satisfying conclusion. And somehow, I realized, I've modeled Bubbles after the person I kind of am with the person I want to be. Neither of those variations include a guy that's sweeping me off my feet because I am so resistant to it. And unfortunately Bubbles is turning out the same.

**Question:** Did you guys read this the part the same way I felt while writing it, which is apathetically? I couldn't get into it for some reason. Did you get that cold, disjointed kind of vibe or mood while you read it? It's how I felt while writing it and rereading it. And I reread my stories _a lot_.

After painstakingly trying to write this I'm going to see if I can work on other things and clear my head. If I keep trying to force this story I'm gonna wreck it and want to rip it down from the site.

Thanks for reading, and I apologize for the lack of quality. Tell me _exactly_ what you thought about this.

1-25-11

12:38am

Okay, I've just reread this and I'm not sure if it's because I was in just a jovial mood already but...it doesn't seem to be that bad. I almost actually like it. The only problem is trying to get to a resolution. The kind that you all and I want to see. The one where they get together and make a cute couple and all that jazz.

This might be difficult. I hope it ends in the next chapter. Also, sorry it took so long to write this and post.

1-27-11

1:09am


	5. Part 5 A Swift Kick, A Powerful Punch

2-7-11

9:01pm

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

**Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Subtle**

**Part 5–A Swift Kick, A Powerful Punch**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

"Bubbles, what are you doing? It's three in the morning!"

Blossom tried to come across as disbelieving and disapproving, but it still came out weary, accompanied with a yawn.

"I'm not tired!" the blonde said loudly while moving furiously around the kitchen.

Blossom's eyes widened and she glanced at the stairs, thankful that the Professor was a heavy sleeper.

"We have school tomor– today!" she tried to say again, keeping her voice low in hopes that Bubbles would get the hint.

Obviously, from the way the redhead winced at pans and spoons banging carelessly, she didn't.

"What's goin' on?" another voice came onto the scene, the person rubbing an eye sleepily.

"Bubbles has lost her mind," Blossom told the other sister with wide eyes.

Bubbles ignored this (or didn't even hear) as Buttercup turned to examine everything with raised brows.

"Oh my god! Is that pie?" Buttercup exclaimed and moved to sit down at the kitchen table.

Blossom rolled her eyes. Could no one remember it was three in the morning? She followed her sister's motion and sat down as well.

"I didn't know you knew how to make pie," she said to Bubbles as Buttercup and her stared at the delectable dessert sitting before them.

Bubbles was still moving around, doing _something_. "I looked it up. It wasn't that bad," she responded casually.

"What are you doing over there?" Buttercup questioned and craned her neck to see behind Blossom.

"Uh..." Bubbles started while staring at the stove. "I got hungry for some hash browns. And then I also wanted pancakes. You know how long it's been since we had pancakes in this house?"

Blossom and Buttercup looked to each other, pondering this.

"But now I'm not really hungry, so you guys wanna eat?" Bubbles went on.

"Yes please!" Buttercup said happily, waiting expectantly.

The redhead was giving her a look and shaking her head as if asking, 'what the hell are you doing?' Buttercup shrugged and eagerly took the plate Bubbles handed her. Another plate was put in front of Blossom and the redhead grudgingly started eating the (delicious) food.

Bubbles took a seat and watched her sisters, while also wondering if she should start on clean-up.

"So what's up with this?" Buttercup finally questioned.

"I couldn't sleep," the blonde replied with a shrug, tensing up.

Blossom mumbled something through her mouthful of food, causing her sisters to stare. After gulping it down hastily (and painfully) while her face changed color she said, "It's three in the morning!"

"I think we're aware," Buttercup said with a roll of her eyes. "So what's wrong with you?" she turned back to Bubbles, who was completely taken-aback.

"Nothing's wrong." And then she got up to start those dishes.

Blossom winced as things started clattering carelessly again, and then sighed. "Look what you did."

"Something happen with Boomer?" Buttercup questioned above the noise being made.

"No, nothing happened."

And they both heard the defensive edge in her voice. But she continued on, and apparently having noticed her tone, in a lighter manner.

"I saw him the other day actually."

"Oh," Buttercup went on. "So you guys made up and all that? That's good, 'cuz all your moping was–"

"We did not make up!" she suddenly shrieked while turning around with angry eyes. "There was nothing to make up! We're just-just _friends!_"

The two paused in eating, looking to each other in confusion.

Blossom turned around in her chair. "Can you just tell us what's going on already? I mean we kind of had the feeling you liked him but–"

"I had sex with Boomer," she said with a quiet voice and hard stare that spoke volumes.

Her sisters stared, bug-eyed in shock, at the unprovoked confession as well as the information itself. Seriously, it wasn't like anyone was twisting Bubbles' arm or something.

"I'm fucked, okay!" she said as they continued staring in surprise, yet again shocked at the words coming out of the youngest sister's mouth. "I'm such an idiot," Bubbles hissed, putting the heel of her palm on her forehead in anguish. "And he is such a _pushover_."

The two looked at each other, flabbergasted. What should they address first? The guilty-sounding admission? The _sex_? The sex _with Boomer_? The out-of-character cursing?

Blossom opened her mouth, trying to start dialogue, when she was interrupted.

"This is just like how things started," Bubbles was telling herself, leaning back against the counter and staring at the floor in thought. "I totally manipulate him and then he's agreeing to whatever I say." Abruptly she scowled, glared and asked in frustration, "Damnit, why do we like touching each other!"

"Ohmygod," Buttercup gasped in a low voice.

Her and Blossom couldn't even begin to imagine what the hell Bubbles was talking about. She glanced at the oldest of their trio.

Yup. That was Blossom's jaw, unhinged and on the floor.

**xoxo**

"You are _not_ going to school today," she said with her hands on her hips.

Bubbles just rolled her eyes and went to a drawer to get some socks, half her ensemble already on.

How long would it take before Blossom and Buttercup either forgot about last night's events, or confronted her? While she was praying for the former, it was very unlikely.

Blossom stood in the doorway. "I'm serious. None of us are going to school today."

Buttercup passed by at that moment, heading to the bathroom. "_Three in the morning!"_ she said in some mock-shrill voice.

The redhead ignored this, knowing Buttercup was already up for a day of skipping school. Bubbles, however, was somehow harder to convince.

So she stalked into the room and grabbed the shirt Bubbles was about to pull over her head.

"Blossom, what are you doing?" Bubbles shouted while struggling to get her head through the correct hole.

She tugged mercilessly. "Go back to sleep! We'll wake up late and eat junk food while watching daytime dramas or something!"

"We– have– school!" She was losing the battle. Her arms had been secure before but now one was out of the hole and a good portion of the shirt was in Blossom's grip.

Buttercup was walking back to her bedroom for more sleep when she stopped, backed up a few steps and stared into Bubbles' room. After a few blinks, the situation sunk in and she started laughing her head off.

It was only ten minutes later that the three sat in front of the TV while eating sugary cereal.

Blossom had given up on hoping for more sleep, convinced Bubbles would run away (off to school) the first chance she got. Buttercup was forced to leave behind her bed as well.

The silence was bearable with some peppy morning show on screen.

Bubbles sat with her arms folded and one leg over the other. A severely defensive position.

She was still busy cursing herself and her entire life. You'd think things would be easier for The Powerpuff Girls. Life should be a cakewalk, especially now that crime-fighting wasn't necessary and they could be "normal". (What she failed to realize was that this was _exactly_ what normal people went through: inner turmoil and conflicted feelings.)

The blonde stared hard at the television, thinking.

She knew he wouldn't say no.

Well, he did protest, of course. Boomer was still a bit of a nice guy, and obviously he was conflicted with pursuing that course of action with the girl he had feelings for who didn't seem to like him back. But she was pretty...persuasive? forceful? wanting? All of the above, for sure.

Well, she did learn something from this disastrous turn of events.

She did l–

"I can't sit here in silence any longer!" Blossom burst out, looking to her sisters, both of whom were sitting on the larger sofa.

Buttercup and Bubbles peeled their gazes from the TV to stare at the redhead.

"I can't believe it. You had sex," she went on in amazement. "I mean, and with Boomer! It _was_ your first time, right?"

Bubbles rolled her eyes, arms and legs still crossed. It was too late for vehement denial at this point, so she gave a curt nod with pursed lips.

"And what did you mean by touching each other?" Buttercup spoke up with knitted brows.

Here, the blonde showed surprise and turned a bit pink. "I–" She had no idea what to say.

"You used protection, right?" Blossom questioned urgently.

She turned to the other sister, covered in more shock. "We–"

"You know, you two must be awfully familiar with each other. Much more than just friends. Are you sure you weren't dating behind everyone's back?" Buttercup asked with a thoughtful frown.

"Why didn't you tell us you had sex!" Blossom was trying to admonish.

Bubbles opened her mouth yet again, whether to fight back the questions or to answer them, she wasn't sure. She closed it and stared around at the two.

Responding to anything they'd said or asked would just mean more explaining. Like two years worth.

So she stuck with simple, more current truths.

"Boomer likes me," Bubbles started. "We _are_ really good friends." Her eyes traced the coffee table. "We...had sex," she said frankly. "And I don't do relationships," she went on with a stubborn expression.

There was a pause.

"What does that mean?" Buttercup questioned with a quirked brow.

"I just...don't want one." She tried to look confident in her words, hoping to avoid any arguments against her point of view.

Blossom glanced around in thought. She opened her mouth, about to comment on a key piece of information that was suspiciously absent. But just before the words came she changed her mind.

"But," she started carefully, looking to Buttercup for some support. "People change, right? People…change their minds," she spoke slowly and casually, as if there wasn't a real topic linked to these words.

Bubbles flinched back slightly with wide eyes, as if she'd just been slapped.

Yeah, slapped with some truth.

**xoxo**

The avoidance was getting old.

Well, technically she'd only been dodging him a few days since they...last hung out.

Boomer stared around blankly, a brow raised.

Not like he'd expected anything less. She did storm out of the house with a pretty...volatile countenance.

When he glanced at the classroom again he spotted Buttercup eyeing him.

"Hey," he said to her twenty minutes later as she was closing her books.

Buttercup looked up and shuddered quickly. Some vague mental image of Boomer and her sister was still swimming around in the back of her head.

"Hey," she said back.

The blonde didn't question her involuntary action. "Hey, is something up with Bubbles? She's been avoiding me."

Unfortunately he didn't know that Blossom and Buttercup knew a bit more about Bubbles' strange behavior and his situation with her. The dark-haired girl didn't really let this on though.

Buttercup shrugged while standing up. "If you wanna know what's up then go talk to her yourself." She made an innocent expression while saying, "From what I hear you're quite a softie. A pushover, in fact. So I understand if you can't handle her."

Boomer's brows came together, looking taken-aback. Then Buttercup winced as her last comment rang through her mind with more…perverse implications. She tried to fight the pained, slightly disgusted expression.

He wasn't given the chance to respond as Buttercup stumbled her way out of the room, wondering if she would still be so immature if (when) things got to that stage with herself and Butch.

"The fu–" Boomer started speaking with uncomprehending eyes.

**xoxo**

A few people nearby jerked up to see as the door was pushed open with excess force. They noted who it was before easily turning back to whatever they were doing (eating, copying homework, flirting, sleeping).

He stomped over to the table where four people were already seated, having some kind of discussion.

Then he stood before them, crossed his arms and waited for a reaction.

The group glanced over curiously but the topic of conversation kept up, turning into a debate.

He gave an annoyed look and finally said, "Did you just leave me in the parking lot without a shirt on?"

There were surprised looks from everyone at the table, and even from students in the surrounding area.

Buttercup looked to him casually. "I told you I was hungry."

Butch shook his head in a 'no, no way' gesture, eyes still trained on her as if she were crazy. "We weren't even done!"

Blossom looked on uncomfortably, immediately snatching up her juice and sipping eagerly through the straw.

"Yeah, we were," his girlfriend responded, causing Bubbles to flinch at the innuendos that came to mind.

Butch looked incredulous for a moment.

The dark-haired girl went back to eating. "I don't even know why you had your shirt off," she said honestly with a shrug.

And that was when Butch shut up and abruptly sat down across from her with a carefully blank expression.

Blossom opened her mouth to ask about this but Bubbles shook her head with an urgent look.

The three girls resumed their talk of...cartoon characters from their youth.

"All he did was talk about his hair!" Blossom argued. "And that episode about not getting a hold of the only hair product he used?" She shuddered in disgust.

Buttercup raised a brow. "So you're saying you watched it then?"

The redhead opened her mouth but paused, because denial was pointless. "Well, yeah. I was a kid. We watched anything when we were little, right?" she frowned.

"What about that one with the science kid?" Bubbles piped in.

"What?" Buttercup questioned before sticking two more french fries in her mouth.

"Redhead? Glasses?" Bubbles said expectantly, and only received blank looks. "Uh...his sister was blonde! And she was always coming in and ruining things!"

"Oh!" Blossom said suddenly, dragging out the word in her comprehension.

Butch was staring at the sisters and shaking his head slightly. Should he try and ask what the heck they were talking about and _why?_

Before deciding on that he swept his eyes towards the fourth person who had been there when he'd entered the scene.

Boomer was watching with a neutral expression, eyebrows slightly knitted as if he wasn't sure what to think of anything. And was that... Yeah, it was.

Knowing someone their entire life, not to mention living with the person, let you in on things most other people would never know.

Butch slowly glanced to the sisters and then back to his brother, following the blonde's gaze. Then he winced as it became clear.

Boomer was _pissed_.

The way his jaw was set, even though he was trying to fight it? The way he watched with a deadpan expression, uncaring of their conversation but pretending to pay attention? The way he was being so _quiet_?

It was the calm before the storm.

And even though people thought Boomer was less harsh or cruel than his brothers (well, back when they were evil...), this was not the case. In fact, Butch thought to himself, it was the quiet, innocent looking ones people should worry about. They were worse than the obvious troublemakers.

Because they knew they could get away with things.

He looked on thoughtfully, wondering if he should intervene before something happened.

Like Boomer getting upset at someone taking his pen or whatever.

"Their parents were talking legs," someone said frankly.

Butch couldn't help hearing this, processing it and then responding with, "Well technically it was more than legs. It was the lower half of a body."

Blossom turned to him. "And you never wondered how they talked?"

"There was a talking cow and chicken," Bubbles shot back. "I think we learned to live with it."

"Hey, we still have that chem test in two days, right?" a sane voice interrupted.

Everyone turned to Boomer who was nonchalantly looking down at his open palm, wiggling his fingers carefully.

After a too-long pause Bubbles replied slowly. "Yeah...we do."

"Wanna come over and finish studying?" he asked.

Her mouth opened immediately with an audible intake of air but no words came as she rethought this. "Sure. I think...I left my book there." Her unsure face proved she was trying to make sure this was true.

"Good."

And Butch was almost positive his little brother was smirking.

He would've made a comment on being proud to have taught the kid something but Buttercup kicked him and forced his attention away.

**xoxo**

"Ow, what the–" she shouted in surprise.

Boomer smirked down at Bubbles while she glared and her mouth twisted open without sound, suppressing any more declarations of discomfort and pain.

"Oh, come on. You're a Powerpuff Girl," he shot back haughtily. "Stop acting like that hurt."

Bubbles frowned and gritted her teeth.

It _did_ hurt. He was a Rowdyruff Boy, after all.

**xoxo**

**There.** It seems more like a filler chapter to me. And if you can tell by the date at the top, I struggled to write these measly, not even three thousand, words for nearly twelve days.

I haven't been feeling so great; mostly just really tired and unable to focus on literally anything. Writing has suffered.

I know where I want things to go, kind of. I didn't really figure that out until a few days ago though. And what's worse is it felt so difficult to try and make the transition from one scene to the next, from character moods and just the tone of the story. I cut out a scene that seemed extraneous and pathetic.

I even tried reading reviews for this story to gain some inspiration, draw off the support and words…but I'm just way too out of it.

There are four allusions in this Part. Three are to other TV shows and one is just an allusion to another PPG story (or two?) I've written.

…

Alright, like twenty minutes have passed and I think I mapped out some things and I know what I'm doing. Still, this chapter does seem kind of disappointing.

Thank you to all my reviewers thus far, and anyone who happens to read this story or any of my stories. I do apologize for the lack of quality here. Thanks for still reading and tell me what you think.

2-19-11

3:28pm


	6. Part 6 'Boom'

2-20-11

11:59pm

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

**Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Subtle**

**Part 6–'Boom'**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

She walked quietly behind him while he stuck a key in the lock and opened the door.

It was just her luck that Brick and Butch had other things to do (practice, and studying with their girlfriends) than be there at that moment. What she didn't know was that Blossom and Buttercup had kind of kept them away from this situation, not knowing what would happen.

Well, maybe if the other two boys had been around then _nothing_ would have happened.

Either way, Bubbles had decided (as they left the school together) that she would grab her forgotten books, make excuses and get the hell out of there. Boomer was eerily calm and quiet, watching her with an impassive expression and hints of a challenge.

Challenging her to what?

"So, where's my stuff?" she questioned with a causal sweep of the area.

Boomer glanced up from dropping his things on the floor.

"Oh yeah. They're still in my room," he responded before going back to his bag to remove his own books.

Bubbles slowly wandered into his room, seeming as if nothing were amiss. The two books were sitting quaintly on his end table, as if waiting for her.

She exhaled while gingerly lifting them, one part of her plan already complete. She also avoided looking at the bed more than was necessary, trying harder than ever to block out the sounds and motions playing in her mind.

But when she looked up, Boomer was just walking up to his doorway and she botched her own plan.

"I think I should get going. I was supposed to help the Professor with some experiments," Bubbles suddenly said, causing the boy to scrunch up his brows in confusion and skepticism. She shrugged with a helpless smile, trying to come off as sweet and honest.

"You gotta be kidding," he muttered to himself as she began making her way over, even though he didn't immediately clear the path for her to leave.

And just like a Venus flytrap after being triggered, she found herself _trapped _after being shoved into his bedroom wall when she got close enough for him to make the daring move.

It was stupid, she told herself mentally. She should have waited until they were back in the living room before blurting out that barely passable lie.

"Ow, what the–" she shouted in surprise.

Boomer smirked down at Bubbles while she glared and her mouth twisted open without sound, suppressing any more declarations of discomfort and pain.

"Oh, come on. You're a Powerpuff Girl," he shot back haughtily. "Stop acting like that hurt."

Bubbles frowned and gritted her teeth.

It _did_ hurt. He was a Rowdyruff Boy, after all.

"I just can't believe you're already running away from me. You literally _just got here_," he said with his forearm still bracing heavily across her collar bone and his body leaning onto hers to prevent any damage to his person. (A guy's gotta look out for the family jewels, right?)

"I'm not running away from anything," she shot back with a glare. "You can let me go now."

Bubbles didn't want to admit he had her pinned pretty well and it would turn into an ugly struggle if she attempted 'escape'. Not to mention she was– Well, not feeling well in that moment.

"You know what? _Fine!_" he shouted in her face with a condescending look. "If you don't want a relationship, fine! What do I care as long as I get to make out and hook up with a hot girl?"

She looked at him in surprise at the turn of events.

Why was he even bringing this up?

"Everything can easily go back to the way it was before, you know," he told her with the same hard stare.

Her mouth opened to reply but all she seemed to do was gasp in response.

Did he really mean it though? Could it be so simple? She really did want things to go back and–

Boomer snorted, rolled his eyes and made the decision for her by swooping in and kissing her harshly.

It wasn't fueled by curiosity and a desire to experiment. Or even actual lust, or any deeper feelings. It was just..._let-me-prove-my-point_.

And anger. Yeah, there was a fair amount of that in there.

Still, Bubbles found herself unable to respond and wishing she could pull away from him and this entire situation. How bad would the damage be if she just broke through the wall behind her? (Yes, that's exactly where her thoughts were.)

He pulled back after trying to force her to kiss him, but not by much and only to breathe out taunting words.

"Come on Bubbles, you're always the one initiating this stuff. We can just go back to whatever we had before." And his lips ghosted over her neck and ear, waiting.

Bubbles was still figuring out if she could somehow wedge her hands between their bodies to push him off her, but she cringed at adding more physical contact to this mess.

"You have a crush on me. There's no way you can just go back," she told him, looking off to the side while her hands reached to his waist, but stopped short and curled slowly into fists, refusing to touch him.

There was silence for a moment and her eyes looked up at him slowly to see a wry smile on his lips.

"Yeah, but I can get over it," Boomer shrugged like it was nothing and he finally stepped back and let go of her, momentarily forgetting about her own recent confession.

Bubbles took a deep breath and debated racing out of the house with her superspeed. Then she almost rolled her eyes.

Where would that get her? It might just be better to get this whole confrontation thing over with. Whether they went back to 'before' or dissolved their friendship altogether, it would be a relief to just have it happen already.

"Can we just clear up some things before you run off like Bambi or something?" he questioned irritably.

Bubbles glared. She wasn't a damn deer.

"I am not a pushover!" he burst out, seething.

She winced but kept her glare. Stupid sisters.

"I didn't mean it. I was just..." She looked around with a pained expression, wanting to drop the subject altogether.

"Upset?" he shot back with some smug look.

"Wasn't thinking," she said defiantly against his claim. With her body free, she folded her arms over her chest.

Boomer looked her up and down with a deadpan gaze, as if sizing her up.

"Okay, well then I'm sorry about what happened on Friday," he said slowly, calmly. "If you wanna pretend that didn't happen then it's a done deal."

Bubbles hesitated in answering. Then she set a serious expression and bit out, "I have to go." And she turned back to the doorway.

Even her superspeed wasn't good enough because (he was a Rowdyruff Boy and) he slapped a hand on the doorframe, startling her and blocking her departure very minimally.

"Are you serious?" he asked her in disbelief. "I am trying to work things out here and _you're_ pissed? Really now?" And he took a big step back and crossed his arms. "Is it because _your _best friend started avoiding you like you were diseased? Or because said best friend likes to start shit and then leave before anything turns sour? Or maybe," his eyes widened mockingly, "Because said best friend _comes back every time?_"

Bubbles shook her head in denial, horrified at her portrayal. And also because it seemed to be quite accurate.

"I'm not a pushover, at least we agree there. But see that's the thing. I did what 'you wanted' because I wanted that too. And the second I'm not agreeing with you you're gonna disown me as a friend?" Boomer questioned, looking a bit hurt. "Okay, well I'll admit I was trying that whole strategy where you leave the girl alone, give her space and she'll realize what she's missing and come running back to you," he shrugged carelessly. "But I guess I was wrong. I mean it didn't work. I'm not even sure if you actually like me as you supposedly said that day. Maybe you weren't thinking then either."

It was hurting her ears to listen to any of this. Seriously, was there blood dripping down her face yet or what?

He squinted his eyes unsurely, suspiciously. Finally he asked, "Are you...are you _shaking_?"

She pressed her lips together before responding, apparently trying to hold herself together. "No. I'm not," she said evenly.

Boomer stared longer, watching as her body twitched awkwardly, before raising a brow. "Yeah you are. What, are you having a seizure or something?"

"No! I'm just– Don't touch me!" she shrieked as he tried to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

He pulled back quickly and in shock.

There was a pause as he watched her condition, or whatever it was, continue while she took a few breaths to counter it.

"So...we're done then?" he questioned after, what he felt was, a reasonable amount of time. "I guess the verdict is that we're done with everything, right? No more–"

"You can't just get over it," Bubbles interrupted. "I know, because I've been freaking trying!" she told him angrily.

"What now?" Boomer questioned with a blink. It would have been so much easier to fall for _any other girl_.

"I mean," she went on with the same tone, "That every time we see each other I have a heart attack or something. And I feel like I've been dropped in a desert because heat just creeps up the back of my neck the way it's not supposed to." Bubbles closed her eyes and sighed before looking at him again. "I've been trying to get over you. Step one is distance. I can't talk to you, or even be near you."

Boomer stared blankly, and as the wheels began turning he had to fight down a smile and shake of the head.

"Us having sex was not supposed to happen," Bubbles said plainly. "Because– because–"

His almost-smile faded.

"Because now everything is worse. Like my feelings are even stronger or something!" she bit out, once again angry.

He made a pinched expression, trying to keep neutral. His eyes glanced around for a few seconds before, "But you never gave any sign that you felt that way."

"It was only recently after...Brick opened his big mouth and all that crap. It doesn't mean I'm not having like, heart palpitations or something whenever you're around!" she argued and then immediately cringed, shrinking back away from him with a greatly pained expression.

Boomer grinned and looked down, shaking his head.

"And don't smile," Bubbles ordered while re-crossing her arms. "It doesn't help."

Now that just made him laugh.

And this, in turn, caused Bubbles to wince and start breathing quicker, not even trying to hide it. Boomer took notice.

"You're really that uncomfortable?"

She looked like she needed a hug, but that was obviously not a good idea because she didn't want him touching her.

He rolled his eyes.

She was such a weirdo. Well, that made sense seeing as she cornered and manipulated him into consenting to that first kiss when they were only fourteen. Definitely not behavior one would expect from a Powerpuff Girl – especially not Bubbles.

Boomer backed up to sit down heavily on his bed, and the action made Bubbles glance at the doorway.

"You're still doing the deer caught in headlights thing," he said casually and leaned back on his hands.

"I am not afraid of you," she responded with narrowed eyes. "And I'm not running away."

"Oh yeah?" his voice mocked.

Now that he knew exactly how she felt and some of the symptoms, Boomer could literally pinpoint the moment when her breath got stuck in her throat and notice the very slight widening of her eyes.

She was actually very good at keeping it under wraps. It was pretty amazing.

Which kind of made his body respond to her nervous behavior with increased heat of his own.

How could such a manipulative, deceptively devious person look so innocent and _hot_ while squirming under his gaze?

It had to be the pigtails.

"Go home Bubbles," he finally decided and waved a hand dismissively.

The girl only stiffened, affronted. "I am _not_ afraid of you!"

Boomer was mentally deciding what he would do when she left as he lazily asked, "Then what are you afraid of?"

"Of–" Bubbles stopped from letting some thoughtless, random answer pass through her lips before passing through her brain. "Of feeling like every part of my body stops functioning whenever you happen to be around and not– not being able to do anything about it."

He sat up straight and stared.

But she was already moving to sit beside him while still speaking, as if to herself. "And then I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to tell anyone so I found myself online, searching for help on how to get over someone and I also managed to find a good recipe for pie so I guess _something_ good came out of it even though this whole avoiding you thing is upsetting both of us."

It was such a long winded sentence that Boomer wasn't sure he understood it all.

He mentally heard the tick tock of a clock a few times before asking, "So...you avoiding me was first, because you were just avoiding your feelings altogether and then because you were trying to get rid of them?"

Bubbles looked up at him from staring at her hands and realized the proximity she had put herself in. So that's when her heart started racing and aching and she almost jumped up to _race_ right out of the room.

"You kind of just need to deal with it."

And he leaned over to put his mouth on hers before she could respond.

But it was slow this time, and not...wanting. More like giving.

He carefully, and lightly, pushed her back on the bed and leaned over her, not climbing on top at all. Not dominating or forceful.

Bubbles kissed him back because it was the instinctive reaction she had whenever his lips touched hers (except for earlier). How could she work against two years of habit and experience?

Still, she was surprised when he pulled back enough to look at her and speak in a low voice.

"It is uncomfortable, I guess. Just because...you've never liked someone before, huh?" Boomer said with an apologetic look. "But it doesn't have to be."

Her brows slowly drew together in concern and fear at the weightless feeling inside her, trying to push its way out. She placed a hand on her chest, wishing her insides would stop feeling like they would explode.

She especially hated the way her heart rate sped up, and that she was so conscious of it.

Bubbles pushed Boomer away so they both sat up again on the bed and he thought he'd finally crossed a line. She wasn't ready for this...romance and being 'in like' and all that.

The girl took a few deep breaths, her heart seeming to be the only organ in her body, as it kept up a constant reminder of its presence.

It didn't have to be uncomfortable. It didn't have to be a bad thing. She didn't have to think of it as a part of her dying, ready to leap out of her body after making her pass out.

She could do this. Well, of course she could. Look at everything else she'd done with him. Giving in to emotions would...probably still make her insides explode, but it was worth a shot.

So she turned to him, grinned (only half sure of herself) and pushed him back onto the bed, climbing over his surprised (and satisfied) form.

Her heart rate picked up again, but she ignored it, distracted herself.

How, exactly?

By not moving as slowly as he did, as slowly as everyone else did.

**xoxo**

Right. Because if Brick and Butch had been around then _nothing_ would have happened.

**xoxo**

**This** should have been posted sometime over the weekend but I had family things and then Sunday was too distracted to reread the damn thing.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about the way things have turned out so far. There is another chapter I want to write but I'm quite sure, this time, that it will be the end. This chapter was already long and only covered their confrontation so I figured I'd make a proper ending with some more...stuff in there.

If there's anything you think I haven't explained (or explained well enough), tell me so I can try to write it in with the story and help you, which would actually help me and the story as well.

3-1-11

2:11am


	7. Part 7 Ripe to Reap

2-2-11

1:42am

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

**Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.**

**xoxo**

**Title–Subtle**

**Part 7–Ripe to Reap**

**By–Moon Prynces**

**xoxo**

"Holy crap," she whispered as her eyes shot open.

No movement was made but she did realize the side of her face and her front half were planted firmly on sheets, and there was something just barely covering her (stupid) ass.

"Oh crap," her voice whispered, even lower than before. She made a wincing expression and noticed her hand brushing against skin that was _definitely not hers_.

Bubbles started to unconsciously breathe quicker, a reaction she hoped would disappear soon.

Then there was the matter of a finger suddenly tracing a line from her naked shoulder, down her naked back, stopping just at the sheet covering her (stupid) ass.

The hand removed itself.

And then was abruptly brought down to smack her butt!

The girl lifted her head and whirled it around to glare with her mouth slightly open in angry surprise.

"Good to know you're awake," Boomer commented with a smirk as he leaned casually against the headboard.

"Are you really?" she asked back with narrowed eyes. "Because if I were you, I'd be worrying about my well-being right about now."

"Bubbles," he said in such a cocky voice that she rolled her eyes. "No need to worry about my health; I am totally up for another round."

She threw him a disgusted face and pointedly ignored his lower half to see if this was true. Then she smiled suddenly and rested her head on the bed again, this time facing him.

"What?" Boomer questioned suspiciously.

"It's just nice to hear you being such a...well, not a pushover, anymore." She smirked at him this time.

He looked a bit peeved for a moment before letting it go. "Yeah, but still...I'm not as aggressive as some people. I wasn't the one popping out from bushes and janitor closets."

Her mouth fell open again and brows came together. Denial was kind of stupid because...well, look at where they were. She definitely worked fast (when she knew what she wanted, anyway).

"Idiot," was her only response while pushing down the smile and feeling in her chest.

There was some silence as neither knew exactly what to say.

Were they a couple now?

"Oh crap," she said again, this time louder, and sat up quickly. "I'm sixteen! I shouldn't be having sex all over the place!"

"Well technically, it was only on my bed. But then it's not like we haven't been _making out_ all over the place and–"

Bubbles reached out to slap him but he ducked. "Oh god," she shuddered. "You know what Blossom's gonna say when she finds out about this happening again?"

"What?" Boomer questioned back carefully.

"She'll ask if– if– if we used protection! Again!"

He watched blankly as she winced while some scene played in her mind. "Well...we did."

Bubbles turned to him abruptly. "We did?" she asked, eyes lighting up. And then there was a heavy sigh. "Good. I thought I might've imagined that part."

"Yeah, well as much as you don't want to be a baby mama, I don't want a kid either," Boomer told her with raised brows. "Besides, I don't know where you've been!"

Her mouth opened for the nth time, aghast. "Little jerk." She reached over to smack him again, and even though the first attempt missed, the next landed a hit on his shoulder and then the side of his head.

And soon they were tumbling through the sheets in a completely different manner than before.

"Psh," her voice made the odd sound as she wrestled and straddled his waist successfully. Her tiny hands held his quite securely, almost snapping some bones. "You're right. I'm a _Powerpuff Girl_."

Boomer frowned, trying to hide the obvious struggle to get out of her grasp.

"Hey Boomer! What are we gonna eat today?"

It was in some bizarre slow motion that Bubbles turned her head to look over her shoulder at the open doorway, just as Brick walked over after having entered the house. (Damn them for not having a two-story residence.)

Holy crap, she thought again.

"I was thinking since I'm the oldest we–" Brick finally glanced up from looking down at some take-out menus.

And that was when the redhead realized that his girlfriend's sister was naked in his brother's bed. Bubbles – though Brick could only see her back and the sheet still covering her (_stupid_) ass – threw herself forward onto her– not-quite boyfriend's, well, Boomer's chest to hide her anatomy and cover her painfully shamed face at being caught in such a position.

A beat passed as Boomer's surprised face glanced down at the girl and Brick's blank expression turned completely shell-shocked.

**xoxo**

"So what are you doing later?" he asked, leaning back against the lockers near hers.

"Working. Seven to ten," she answered without looking at him.

"Oh," he paused in thought.

Neither said anything after that as Buttercup finally found her math homework and Butch waited patiently for her.

"You're not...gonna offer to come by?" she finally questioned suspiciously as they began walking to class.

He glanced at her in honest confusion. "Why would I?"

Why wouldn't he? It would be such a Butch thing to pull. Because she–

"You babysit two ten year olds," he stated the obvious.

"Yeah...and there's no supervision so I thought you'd be all..." Buttercup paused in her slowly worded argument.

Butch shrugged carelessly as his girlfriend stared at him, apparently disagreeing with her thoughts.

See, this was strange. It seemed like such an isolated incident, too – where he wasn't dropping perverted hints or suggesting a completely inconvenient or inappropriate rendezvous.

"Besides, what are their parents gonna say if they come home early and see you've got a guy hanging around their kids?" he spoke up suddenly, not even glancing at her this time.

And this time, Buttercup let her mouth fall open in surprise.

That was so– so– so considerate! And mature! And so totally _unlike him_.

Wait, where had her train of thought been again? Oh yeah, it seemed like this was just one time where he wasn't behaving like...himself – judging from her reaction. But truthfully, it was scattered. Every now and then he didn't do exactly what she expected.

Maybe he'd grown a little, now knew when to be serious and cautious. He still grinned irritatingly and she still rolled her eyes when he quirked a brow in suggestion. He was still himself. Just different, for the better.

Buttercup ceased her staring after bumping shoulders with someone.

It didn't matter if she'd witnessed such a miniscule transformation once or dozen times, it still left her in awe. And it kind of...got her blood pumping.

Fortunately, and yet unfortunately, he did not know any of this. It was kind of nice that he only behaved so easily mellow and sophisticated every so often, because it made her appreciate it, and him. _All _aspects of him (like when he was kissing her neck just to make her smile).

The dark-haired girl lost herself in her mental perception of how damned attractive he was, not physically, but personality-wise. Such a long way from being a ladies' man or whining about her inattentiveness. Confident enough in her, and himself, that he didn't need to be with her or speak with her every hour of the day.

Subtle was his growth, and so subtle were her growing feelings.

Then he leaned to her ear, jokingly whispered something about an empty classroom and she grabbed the collar of his shirt to pull him off in that direction before he could comprehend what she was actually doing.

"Hey– W-we have class!" he said, fearing she was about to maul him.

Which was kind of true.

**xoxo**

"Don't talk to me."

"What made you think I would?"

"Why else would you be on my side of the hallway, near my locker?"

"To find out what your sisters said and if I should be expecting death threats."

Bubbles turned to him with a flat gaze, her lips pursed. "No one said anything."

"Ah," Boomer said while rolling on the balls on his feet, hands behind his back nonchalantly.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing, though."

"I guess we'll find out now. It's lunchtime."

"Yeah..." Bubbles said slowly. "I was thinking I'd go eat in peace. You know, behind a bush or in a janitor's closet," she rolled her eyes.

It was quiet as they sat down at the table, across from each other. Not eerily quiet, just the normal, gosh-I'm-tired-of-school quiet.

Except Brick looked strangely calm and contemplative, not glancing up from his chosen spot on the table. Blossom, Buttercup and Butch were arguing over the answers to a test they had just taken and no one noticed when Bubbles mumbled to Boomer, "But now they're gonna think they were right!"

Maybe he hadn't told anyone, the blondes were thinking as things continued on, _normally_.

But then her sisters looked at her and Blossom asked, "Bubbles, you okay?"

This is a trap, Bubbles thought, glancing at Boomer with wide eyes.

"What? Do you need an inhaler?" he mocked with raised brows.

She would have responded with a harsh comment but she could feel her insides liquefying at the look he gave her. When was she going to get used to these things?

Instead, she kicked him under the table and looked to her sisters with the same affronted expression. "Perfectly fine."

Butch was biting his lip to not laugh at his younger brother.

At the end of the uneventful lunch period Bubbles subtly lifted a finger to her lips after catching Brick's eyes. Sure, she looked like some vixen trying to keep an affair quiet, but he just shrugged and didn't say anything. She was surprised they could make eye contact at all after what happened. How did they get to be so mature?

**xoxo**

He wasn't _worrying,_ per se. It's just that he felt the need to look out for each of them in their little group. Maybe it was just the big brother complex showing or something.

Blossom would probably roll her eyes and say something about it not being necessary that he look out for _her_ sisters. Which might be why he would never bring up these feelings. She didn't really need to know.

Brick coasted down the hall toward the exit without really thinking. He would probably meet them outside under that same out-of-the-way tree.

It was with surprise that he spotted the redhead, her back to him. She was usually the last to join them, always chatting with a faculty member or making plans with whatever club or extra curricular.

"Hey Bloss–" He'd barely finished the greeting when the girl spun around and crashed into him in some feral hug that caught him off guard.

Brick looked around in alarm.

They were in public. People would stare. She'd get teased about it come tomorrow from their peers.

He stood there stupidly, arms lifted as if about to envelope her in the same embrace but paused, unsure if that was the right thing to do.

Blossom didn't do PDA. They didn't hug or sling an arm around the other randomly. They didn't exchange quick kisses as greetings or goodbyes. They'd only held hands like twice!

And he didn't have a problem with it. All the verbal communication (in public) was enough. Teasing and joking and just looking was _more than enough_. Because he was already falling into that hole, that downward spiral, that _trap_... Not that he was displeased with the feelings as they grew stronger.

In the privacy of her room, or his, she didn't hold back, even if she was truly inexperienced with a relationship and all that came with it.

Okay, right. The point was he wasn't sure if he should be hugging her back or not. And it wasn't some stupidly cutesy hug with her arms around his neck, standing on her toes and all that. No. Her arms were locked tightly around his chest where it was easiest for her without struggling and the side of her face was flat against his shirt and he probably shouldn't be thinking about this too much because his heart was beating quicker and he didn't want his skin to match his hair color.

The boy tried to take a deep breath, though a little difficult with her constricting the expansion of his lungs, and settled for asking, "Are you okay?" And though he meant for this to come out clear and assured, he breathed out the words shakily on his exhale, not feeling quite so okay himself.

"April's boyfriend died," was all she said.

And it hit him like she had slapped him hard across the face.

He opened his mouth to say something.

"I didn't even know she was seeing someone," she said quietly, almost a whisper.

Well now he didn't know what to say. Because she had stolen his response.

Blossom turned her face and dug her forehead and nose into his shirt with a great intake of breath. "I don't want to be the type to appreciate you when you're gone. I don't want you to leave." And she sounded so much like a kid with that last statement, that _admission_.

Brick smiled sadly at her news and let his arms encircle her.

"I don't wanna go anywhere either," he said succinctly.

"Good," she said childishly, her arms tightening just a bit.

Neither cared that a few people had passed by their out-of-the-way tree and teasingly shouted 'aww's and commented on how cute they looked.

He put a hand on the back of her head, fingers disappearing beneath layers of hair. He kind of wanted to kiss her, but didn't try to push it.

Everyone knew her as this perfectly capable, responsible, _grown-up_ person. She seemed so adult that most people didn't realize she was still a kid, still learning just like them.

Brick knew.

And apparently she had just learned something, he realized.

Which was why he kissed the side of her head, waited for her to finally pull back just a little and then attached his mouth to hers.

And Blossom didn't care who saw or that she would get teased come tomorrow and was glad that he had. Why should she care about everyone else and keeping up appearances? Didn't exactly make her happy. Not like this did.

Holding hands, or even just him smiling at her, magnified her feelings each time it happened. Probably why she had tried to keep their interaction to a minimum, being a bit scared of what the feelings would do once they consumed her.

It wasn't that bad, she now noticed. It was warm and comfortable and _something else..._

Subtle were the looks they shared at school, but no more of that, Blossom decided. She wanted to let him know how she felt whenever she felt it. And she wanted him to be able to do the same.

He attempted to pull away and end the kiss but she followed, her hands now on the sides of his head.

**xoxo**

"It wasn't that bad," he commented from where he sat on a bench, arms splayed out across the top.

In front of him stood Bubbles, feeling too restless to stay still.

"That's because Brick managed to keep his mouth shut, for once." She rolled her eyes, and as an afterthought added, "Your brothers sure are somethin'."

There was a pause as she stared with furrowed brows at a random point on the bench, thinking over the past few days.

"Does this mean we're going out now?" Boomer questioned with a slight whine.

She answered distractedly with something that caused him to look as if he'd been struck by lightning. "You never actually asked me out." Then she gasped in surprise, looking both shocked and amused.

"You like to keep beating up my ego, don't you?" he scowled.

Even while making such a displeased expression she couldn't stop that ridiculous starstruck reaction from sweeping over her.

Okay, so she'd eventually (hopefully) get used to the feelings as they came and attacked her blindly... But trying to let their (still) undefined relationship seep out from behind closed doors was a whole 'nother issue.

She was a little too familiar with secret smiles and being together when there was literally no one to witness them. Switching gears was like...well, it was just hard!

Bubbles let herself stare at him blankly, and he didn't seem to notice or care.

And then, without letting herself think too much, she reached down and kissed him quick, missing half his mouth in her haste and slight embarrassment.

"I gotta go. I'll talk to you later." And then she took to the sky while Boomer stared blankly after her.

He glanced around in mild confusion after losing sight of her.

After a moment he smiled to himself at her bold move. He could see and hear people behind him and across the street.

Then again, she had always been pretty bold.

He was so eager to just move on to a new stage of..._life._ Whether that meant a relationship with her or just plain ending things, he hadn't been so sure before but now...

The blonde boy almost blushed, leaning forward in his seat, elbows on his knees.

Damn, he liked her way too much, he thought while dragging a hand through his hair.

Just how long would this take anyway? This transition from the old to the new? Boomer wasn't as patient as he seemed.

And judging from her thoughtless words, the ball was in his court, so to speak.

"Finally," he said and stood up, ready to head home.

**xoxo**

"I've never known her to keep secrets," Blossom argued.

"Yeah, because they're _secret_," Buttercup said with a roll of her eyes.

Butch didn't respond as he was too busy whispering something (devious) into his girlfriend's ear, which she ignored completely with a hidden grin. Brick was the only one who hadn't really said much as they sat around the Utonium living room, wondering where the last two members of their group were.

"They'll probably come around when they're ready to admit something," Brick decided while reaching for the TV remote.

The front door slammed open and Bubbles looked like a trapped animal, her eyes wide as all faces turned to her.

After another minute of the staring she threw her hands in the air like some typical teenager and said, "It's none of your business!" And then she stalked off to the kitchen.

A moment later someone casually walked in and went to the fridge while she rummaged through a cabinet.

"You know," he started, and she recognized the voice. "I can't exactly condone what you guys were doing. I mean, it's our house too and..."

Bubbles sighed as she stood up and looked to him. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to have the burden of keeping a secret for me. I'll tell them soon. Don't worry."

"Sooner, the better," Brick offered with a sheepish smile.

She rolled her eyes as they both walked back into the living room. She waited until right after he sat down to clap her hands and order, "Alright, boys out."

Brick shot her a glare at her timing. She looked at him triumphantly as he and Butch were ushered out by their counterparts.

**xoxo**

"So what exactly did you tell them?" he asked cautiously.

"Don't worry. Not everything. I'm entitled to my own life." She glanced around her room. "We just talked about...you. And some other stuff."

_"Again?" Blossom had questioned incredulously._

_Buttercup cocked her head with mild interest._

_There was a pause before..._

_"What's it like?" the redhead asked curiously, with a bashful smile she tried to suppress._

_The blonde's eyes popped out of her skull._

"And no one's looking to rip my head off?" he asked again, sounding surprised.

"Of course not. You're not a..._complete_ troublemaker. I mean, when was the last time you committed a crime, anyway?"

"Yesterday."

Bubbles choked on her gasp.

"Yup. Had a beer with pizza."

Her mouth twisted into something between a pout and glare. "Oh. Underage drinking. I thought you meant, like, a _real_ crime."

He ignored the jab. "What else happened?"

"Um..."

_"How long have you been dating exactly?" Buttercup interrupted._

_"We're not. He's just my boytoy," she grinned jokingly, gearing up to continue with a real explanation of their currently complicated relationship. Though maybe she'd still leave out the last two years..._

_"Oh, is that what they're calling it?" a new voice asked, emerging through the nearest doorway._

_All eyes widened as the Professor stood there with a quirked brow, holding a plate and fork._

"And no one said something like, _I knew it!_ or _Saw this coming_?"

"No..." she admitted reluctantly. "But I'm sure they were thinking it!"

_Blossom frowned at her dark-haired sister as their third left to get some water. "What do you think?" she whispered, leaning closer._

_"I _so_ can't wait to try that," Buttercup said dazedly._

_"Me too," the redhead agreed with a sigh. "How'd they get to be so mature?"_

The two were quiet suddenly, each thinking, with the phone line and miles between them.

"You know," she half-whispered. "I've been coming up with this pros and cons list in my head about whether we should be dating."

He looked up at his wall with raised brows.

"But the thing is...either way, I still can't...do anything about those– those _feelings_," she wrinkled her nose. "I mean, I think that even if we didn't I would still be all weird around you."

She stopped, feeling self-conscious. Admitting these things put her in such a vulnerable spot, something like she'd never actually felt before.

But this was her best friend. They'd known each other since they were five years old and trying to kill each other.

Things had changed. _They_ had changed.

"What makes you think I haven't been having heart attacks whenever _you're_ around?" he questioned.

And she paused before speaking again, her mouth parted in complete surprise.

She could just imagine him with a tilted smile, both mocking and serious, trying to level the playing field a bit without making her roll her eyes at obvious clichés.

It was the Boomer she remembered.

Him 'giving her room' to 'figure things out' was kind of creepy. He was never that much a wimp to her when they were involved. He was never so..._subtle_. She almost wished he had revealed his emerging feelings in a more brazen and thoughtless fashion.

Now, over the course of a day or two, he was back to being cocky and playful, and she was kind of...almost...crying.

Well, that was awkward. Funny how she could still get all emotional over children's movies and sappy moments but was secretly a devious and manipulative girl. Surely only the hard-hearted and stoic could pull off two years of physical gratification with their best friend while not developing any feelings until now.

They were so similar, huh? Not just the blonde hair, blue eyes and innocent façade that everyone assumed to be their true nature. But also the smirks and teasing and not-so-innocent kisses that lead to more _mature_ stuff.

"Are you okay?" he asked suddenly, sounding alarmed.

"Things were so much easier when we were just making out," she finally said, stifling a sigh.

"'_Just_ making out'?"

"Ugh. I'm going to sleep." Before she hung up, "And no, that was not an invitation."

**xoxo**

It was at the beginning of school, with everyone still going through their lockers or making small talk with their friends, that it happened.

She was just sighing heavily at how long the days seemed and how heavy her books felt when he came up and asked her.

"Can you do me a really big favor?" Boomer questioned pleadingly.

Bubbles eyed him tiredly out of the corner of her eyes while rearranging something in her locker. "What is it?"

"It's not that big of a deal," he shrugged.

"If you want to copy homework, I've gotta tell you...I don't think I did it right myself." She waited and then realized he wasn't responding, just looking at her expectantly. "Yeah? What is it?" she asked, not quite realizing he was pinning her to the lockers in a completely crowded hallway.

"Go out with me?" he whispered into her ear, standing behind her.

Bubbles smiled at her textbooks and calculator before turning around. She twisted a finger around her pigtail purposely and said, "Sure. I mean, I guess so." And then blew a stray strand of hair out of her face indifferently.

Sure, he was half-grinning at her performance, but then she said something that floored him.

"Since I...kind of like you," she leaned in to mock-whisper, but looking quite solemn and certain, her eyes trained on his.

She managed to admit it without using any _hate_ful words! And for some reason, Boomer felt his face burn.

"Are you okay?" Bubbles questioned quickly with a strange look.

He may have admitted it over the phone just last night, but seeing it made her breathe easier, and with a helplessly happy smile.

She should have realized, in fact everyone should – that things are difficult, weird, uncomfortable, awkward, _different..._for everyone. She wasn't the only one going through changes. You're not alone. You aren't the only one. It's just hard to really take notice of what's going on outside your own head, or inside someone else's.

Though, let's be honest, there are some subtle clues.

**xo end xo**

10-4-11

1:46am

If you knew how many times I reread and edited and took things out and wrote things in to reach this end product...you just wouldn't believe it. Sometimes writing comes easily, and sometimes it's a struggle.

This last chapter is because of someone who, unfortunately, always signs her/his reviews simply as **Dreams**. You should thank that person. I didn't want to disappoint her/him. I didn't want to disappoint myself either.

The ending is still a little bland to me... Sorry. Thanks for the support and stuff.

10-5-11

12:15am

EDIT after update:

I think there's been some confusion here. This is the end of the story. There won't be any more. It says "end" a few lines right up there. I'm sorry if you're disappointed but this isn't going to be continued into something longer and drawn out.

10-10-11

1:11am


End file.
